whom it was pen'd Probably by David when himself and the rest of the Godly Party were under a â—ore and bitter persecution by * Non est dubium quin de oppressoribus domestâ—cis â—â—quatur quorum iniqua dominatio non minus Sanctis infesto molista erat quam omnes Gentium injuriae Calv. in loc Presertim ad regnum Saulis sanguinolentum ac violentum referri potest Musc in loc Saul and others of that bloody and hypocritical faction that bare sway under him Briefly In the Psalm the Prophet doth these three things 1. He doth appeal to God for vengeance on the persecutors describing them by their pride v. 2. Prophaneness v. 3 4. their intemperate virulency of speech v. 4. Cruelty and bloody practises v. 5 6. and lastly by their Atheisticall security v. 7. 2. He diverteth to the Enemies endeavouring to convince them of the bruitishness and folly of their Atheism the Mother and Nurse of the other impieties charged on them v. 8. and that by a threefold Argument sc 1. The power and skill of God in creating the hearing and seeing Organ in Man v. 9. 2. The Soveraignty of God and the Righteousness of his Judgments which he executes in the world v. 10. the former part 3. His Wisdome and knowledge in enduing man with such an excellent intellectual faculty whereby even the creature it self is able to attain to admirable degrees of knowledge v. 10. latter part and 11. 3. He labours to comfort the godly against all the pressures and persecutions under which they did groan and languish The first Argument which the Psalmist useth to this purpose is in the Text. sc The sweet fruit which is to be gathered from the bitter root of affliction which being accompanyed with divine instruction is no longer to be esteemed a punishment but a blessing Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law This being the subject I intend to insist upon I shall without any more ado contract it into this Doctrinal point of Observation sc That man is a blessed man Doct. whose Chastisements are joyn'd with Divine Teachings or It is a blessed thing when Correction and instruction go together The Rod and the Word make up a compleat blessing I shall take chastisements here in the utmost latitude for all kindes and degrees of sufferings whether from God or Man or Satan whether sufferings for Sin or sufferings for Righteousness sake And for the Doctrinal part of the Point I shall endeavor these four things 1. To shew you what those Lessons are which God doth teach his people by his chastisements 2. What the Nature and Properties of Divine Teachings are 3. In what tendency Correction lyeth in Order unto these teachings or what Use God doth make of Affliction for the carrying on of the Work of instruction in the hearts of his People 4. I shall lay down the Grounds and Demonstrations of the Point or Considerations to evince the happiness of that man whom God is pleased to teach by his Corrections I begin with the Lessons which God doth usually teach his people in a suffering condition Amongst many which may fall within the experience of the suffering Saints of God I shall observe unto you twenty severall Lessons Cant. 6.6 most whereof like the teeth of the Spouse you shall see will bear twins or if any of them should fail the rest will more then make up the account which when I have presented at large 20 Lessons which God teacheth by affliction I shall then contract into three summary and comprehensive Instructions which will contain the substance of all The first Lesson which God teacheth by Affliction is 1. Lesson-Compassion towards sufferers Compassion towards them which are in a suffering condition Truly we are very prone to be insensible of our Brethrens sufferings when we our selves are at ease in Zion Partly by reason of that sensuality which is in our natures reigning in carnal men and dwelling even in the regenerate themselves whereby we let out our hearts so inordinately to our own comforts as to quench the tenderness and sense which we ought to have of the miseries and hardships of other men Partly out of the delicacy of self-self-love which makes us unwilling to sowre the rellish of our own sweet fruitions with the bitter taste of strangers afflictions Partly through sluggishness and torpor of spirit which makes us unwilling to rise up from the bed of ease and pleasure to travel in the enquiry of the state of our Brethren either abroad or at home so that as the Apostle saith in another case we are willingly ignorant and are not only strangers but are content to be strangers to their miseries and calamities One way or other even Christians themselves and such as are truly so called are more or less guilty of the sin of the Gentiles Rom. 1.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural affection unmerciful without bowels without compassion Hence you may find that it was one of the errands upon which God sent Israel into Egypt that in the brick-kills there their hard hearts might be softened and melted into compassion towards strangers and captives Therefore when God had turn'd their Captivity that was one of the first lessons of which he puts them in mind Thou shalt not oppress a stranger there 's the duty which though negatively exprest yet according to the Rule of interpreting the Commandments doth include all the affirmative duties of mercy and compassion and the motive follows for you know the heart of a stranger How came they to know it seeing ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt As if God had said I sent you on purpose into Egypt that by the experience of your own sufferings and miseries you might learn as long as you live to lay to heart the anguish and agonies of strangers and captives that whensoever you see a stranger in your habitations you may say O here is a poor Sojourner an Exile I will surely have mercy upon him and shew him kindness for I my self have been a stranger and a bondslave in Egypt I know by experience what a fearful trembling bleeding heart he carrieth in his bosom c. And upon this very account God still brings variety of afflictions and sorrows upon his own children he suffereth them to be plundered banished imprisoned reduced to great extremities that by their own experience they may learn to draw out their bowels towards such objects of pity that they might say within themselves I know the heart of this afflicted Soul I know what it is to be plundered to be rich one day and the very next day to be stript naked of all ones comforts and accommodations I know what it is to hear poor hunger-starved children cry for bread and there is none to give them I know what it is to be banisht from dearest relations to be like arms
of the ungodly but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Psa 1â— 1 2 But what through distraction without and distemper within the children of God many times grow strangers to their Bibles they suffer diversions to interpose between the word and their hearts and as they pray arbitrarily so they read arbitrarily and suffer their Bibles to ly by the walls while they are taken up with other entertainments in the world and therefore God is forced to deal with them as we do with our children to whip them to their books by the rod of correction It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes When they are cast out by the world then they can run to the World Psal 119.23 Princes did sit and speak against me i. e. they sat in Councel to take away his life that they might condemn him as a traitor against Saul and what did he in the mean time it follows but thy servant did meditate in thy Statutes Ver. 161. And again Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in aw of thy word While the persecutors are consulting with the oracles of hell to sin against David David is consulting with the oracles of heaven that he might not sin against God My heart standeth in awe of thy Word while they sinned and feared not David fears and sins not 2. They learn by affliction to understand the Word more clearly As it was with the Disciples in reference to Christ his Resurrection the Resurrection of Christ was a lively Comment upon the Prophecies of Christ Ioh. 12.16 These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified then remembred they these things i. e. they remembred them understandingly they remembred them beleevingly they knew what they meant So it is with the people of God many times in reference to affliction the Rod expounds the Word Providence sometimes interprets the Promise The children of God had never understood some Scriptures had not God sent them into the School of affliction then they can remember how it is written c. they can bring Gods Word and Gods Works together 3. Affliction makes them relish the Word more sweetly In prosperity many times we suffer the luscious contentments of the world so to distemper our palates that we cannot relish the Word taste no more sweetness in it then in the white of an egg as Job speaks in another case but when God hath kept them for weeks months and years it may be fasting from the worlds dainties when they are throughly hunger-bitten in the creature then How sweet are thy words to my taste Psalm 119 103 sweeter then honey to my mouth They are the words which David spake in his affliction witness Vers 23. cum 24. Princes did sit and speak against me but thy servant did meditate in thy Statutes and what follows thy Testimonies are my delight And vers 161. with 162. Princes have persecuted me without a cause c. I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoyl The Rod did sweeten the Word It is my delight my joy a nest of sweetnesses Prov. 27.7 The full Soul loatheth the Honey-comb When we are fill'd with Creature-comforts we nauseate many times the very Word it self which is sweeter then the honey or honey-comb but to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet Let God famish the world round about us then how cordial is Scripture-consolation How precious are the Promises Oh said a gracious woman reduced to great straits I have made many a meals meat upon the Promises when I have wanted bread The Word is never so sweet as when the world is most bitter and therefore doth God lay mustard upon the teats of the world that we might go to the brests of the Word and there suck and be satisfied with the milk of consolation Isai 66 11 This is my comfort in my affliction Ps 119.50 for thy Word hath quickened me Blessed be God for that Correction which sweetens the Word unto us 8 Lesson The need of sound Evidence for Heaven Eightly God by bringing his people into troubles especially if lifethreatening dangers doth shew them the necessity of sound evidence for Heaven and Happiness Alass with what easie and slight evidences do we often content our selves in the time of our prosperity when the Candle of the Almighty doth shine in our Tabernacles when all is peace and quiet round about us The heart being taken up with other fruitions we want either time or will to pursue the tryal of our own estates People minde onely what will serve their turn for the present and quiet their hearts that they may follow their pleasures and profits with the less regret and therefore to save themselves a labor they take that for evidence which the sluggish carnal heart wisheth were so But now in the hour of temptation fig-leaves will cover nakedness no longer nothing will serve the turn but what will be able to stand before God and endure the tryal of fire in the day of Christ Oh then one clear and unquestionable evidence of interest in Christ and the of love of God wil be worth ten thousand worlds Shadows and appearances of grace will vanish before the Searcher of hearts It must be perfect love that will cast out fear 1. Iohn 4 17 Truth and soundness of grace onely can give boldness in the day of Judgment Ah what idle and deceitful hearts have we in the midst of us that can take up with loose conjectures go to the Word and Sacrament with these evidences upon which we dare not venture to dye And yet good and upright is the Lord that will teach sinners his way Psal 25 8 that by the thunder-claps of his righteous judgments will awaken the vain creature out of these foolish dreams in which if they should dye they were undone for ever Well let us be still urging and pressing this question upon our own Souls Will this faith save me when I come to stand before the Throne of the Lamb Will this Love give me boldness in the Day of Judgment Will this Evidence serve my turn when I come to dye Oh Christians let us be afraid to lie down with that Evidence in our beds wherewith we dare not lie down in our graves 9 Lesson What an evil thing it is to grieve the Spirit A ninth is this In the time of our trouble God causeth us to see what an evil and a bitter thing it is to grieve the good Spirit of God When we are in the bitterness of our spirits and want the Comforter then we begin to call to minde how oft we have grieved the Spirit which would have been a Comforter to us and have sealed us up to the day of Redemption and say within our selves in reference to
or twice surpriz'd with dreadful fear I said in my Haste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fâ—stinare praecipitare obstupescere Hicron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Psa 31.22 116.11 The Hebrew signifieth in trepidatione mea or in festinatione mea in my trembling in my precipitancy or as the Septuagint translate it in my extasie when I was almost besides my self for fear Well what did he say then Why he said I am cut off from before thine eyes that is God hath cast me out of his care he looks no more after me I am a lost man And again I said in my haste in my passion all men are Lyars even Samuel himself that told me I should be King he hath seen but a false Vision and a lying divination God never said so to him no I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul And thus the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 3.57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst Fear not I but before God spake a Fear not to his Soul he was afraid to purpose hear what he saith vers 53 54. They have cut off my life in the Dungeon and cast a stone upon me waters flowed over mine head then I said I am cut off Mark ye with Paul he had received the sentence of death in himself he looks upon himself as a dead man yea as already in his grave and his grave-stone layd upon it they have cut off my life in the Dungeon and cast a stone upon me dead and buried and a stone rouled to the mouth of the sepulchre And thus you may hear Jonah crying in the Whales belly Ionah 2.4 I am cast out of thy sight And Sion in the dust tuning her Lamentations Isai 49.14 The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Hezekiah reporting the sad discourses he had in his own bosom upon the sight of death Isai 38.9 10 c. It were easie to multiply instances Why now this is continually our case and this is still Gods design We are proud creatures full of self-confidence and therefore God by strange and unexpected Providences doth hedg up our way with thorns and wall up our path with hewn stones brings to despair even of life bereaveth us of counsel outs us of all our own shifts and policies brings us under the very sentence of death that we might not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead he unbottoms us by despair convinceth us of our impotence and folly shews us what babes and fools we are in our selves that in all our future hazards and fears we might know nothing but a God go in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his righteousness and of his only And thus you see Peter who before was so confident that he thought all the world might forsake Christ sooner then himself after he was convinc'd of his own infirmity and instability when Christ to put him in mind of his three-fold denyal put him upon that three-fold Interrogatory Simon Peter lovest thou me more then these i.e. then the rest of thy fellow-disciples durst make no other answer but this Lord thou knowest he pleads nothing but his sincerity and for that also he casts himself rather upon Christs tryal then his own Lord thou knowest In the next place 14 Lesson God makes himself known By affliction God maketh himself known unto his people How long do we hear of God before we know him We get more by one practical discovery of God then by many Sermons I have heard of thee often by the hearing of the ear Iob 42.5 6 but now mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes cryeth Job upon the dunghill In the Word we do but hear of God in affliction we see him Prosperity is the nurse of Atheism the understanding being clouded with the steams and vapors of those lusts which are incident to a prosperous estate men grow brutish and the reverence and sense of God is by little and little defaced But now by affliction the Soul being taken off from sense-pleasing objects hath a greater disposition and liberty to retire into it self and being freed from the attractive force of worldly allurements Maturant aspera men tem the apprehensions are wont to be more serious and pregnant and so more capable of divine illumination The clearer the glass is the more fully doth it receive in the beams of the Sun When the warm breath of the the world hath blown upon us we are not so capable of the Visions of God Iob 21.14 The wicked through the pride of his heart will not know God they say to the Almighty Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways Who is the Lord saith Pharaoh And truly the very godly themselves are exceeding dark and low in their apprehensions of God our ignorance of God being never perfectly cured till we come to Heaven where we shall see him face to face and know him as we are known In the mean time as by the strokes of divine vengeance God makes the wicked know him to their cost so by the rod of correction he makes his people to know him to their comfort As God brought all his plagues upon Pharaohs heart that he might know who the Lord was in a way of wrath so he lays affliction upon the loyns of his people that they may know him in a way of love Israel shall cry unto me My God we know thee Moses never saw God so clearly as when he descended in a Cloud Exod. 34.5 And truly that dispensation was but a type of the method which God useth in making himself known unto his Saints He puts them into the clefts of the Rock Exod. 33.21 22 23. 34.5 6 7. covereth them with his hand while he passeth by and then proclaimeth his Name before them The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious By affliction God makes known his Attributes c. The people of God have the most sensible experience of his Attributes in their sufferings his Holiness Justice Faithfulness Mercy Alsufficiency c. His Holiness Holiness Affliction sheweth what a sin-hating God God is For though his chastisements on his Church be in love to their persons they are in hatred to their corruptions while he saveth the sinner he destroyeth the sin By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged Isai 27.9 and this is all the fruit to take away his sin If the Soul live sin must dye His Justice Iustice Afflictions are correction to the godly punishment to the wicked in both God is righteous Thus Israel knew God Neh. 9.33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly In the severest dispensations they judg themselves and justifie God Thou art just c. Yea when they cannot
hath no power to live the truths he knows Covenant-teachings convey strength as well as light and do what they teach Isa 8.11.12 The Lord spake to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people saying say ye not a confederacy to them who say a confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself c. It is a most sweet and comfortable Scripture and that in two respects 1. In respect of what it implieth 2. In respect of what it expresseth First it implieth thus much sc that even the Holy Prophet himself had no small combate and conflict within himself what to do in such a juncture of time as that was when it was told the house of David Chap 7.8 saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim that is that both those Kingdoms had made a League together and were now upon their march with their combined forces to make War against the House of David it was sad news and the Text saith The heart of Ahaz and the heart of the people was moved as the Trees of the Wood are moved with the Wind i. e. They were terribly afraid even ready to die for fear and in that fear abundance of the people fell off to the enemy and engaged with them as it is intimated Chap. 86. They refuse the waters of Shiloh that go softly i. e. they lookt upon the forces of Jerusalem as poor and inconsiderable Câ—m suâ—n paâ—citatem tenuitatem iâ—tuâ—bantar trepidabaâ—t c. putabant se tutisâ—imâ—s sore si tam potenâ— ipsis Râ—x contigissâ—t quam Isralitis e Calv. in loc no ways able to oppose and engage so potent an adversary as came against them and so deserted their own party and rejoyced in Rezin and Remaliah's Son they rejoyced in them i.e. to cover their defection from their true Soveraign they cryed up the invaders as their best friends who cam to rescue them from the tyranny oppression of Ahaz And it seems the Prophet Isaiah himself was surprized with fear too for a time and began to dispute the matter within himself whither it were not best for him to strike in with the stronger side and to engage in the confederacy with those two Princes as the multitude did there wanting not probably fair and specious pretences to justifie that defection It seems I say that the Prophet had a sore temptation upon his spirit about this matter and was even ready to determine the question on the affirmative till God came in and instructed him c. And that is the second thing the comfort exprest in these words while the Prophet was thus conflicting and fluctuating in his own thoughts God came in and by strength of hand rebuked his Fears silenc'd his Objections quieted his spirit determined the dispute and instructed him what course to take which was not to comply but to beleeve to study duty and leave safety with God fear not their fear nor be afraid sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself c. Power went forth with instruction taught him what to do and enabled him to do what it taught Blessed be God who hath an Hand to teach his people with as well as a mouth an Hand of power as well as a mouth of instruction had it not been for this the Prophet himself had been certainly carried down the torrent of that apostacy as well as others And there is caution in this instance as well as comfort in reference to our selves and our Brethren and that is in case of surprise by some suddain gusts of fear and temptation not rashly to judg our selves or our Brethren but wisely and calmly to consider 1 Cor. 10.13 it is no other temptation then what is common to man yea to the best of men Iob and David and Ieremiah and Habbakkuk and Peter and here Isaiah were all nonplust and staggerd for a time and recovered only by a powerful word from Heaven and therefore in such cases it becoms Christians to pity rather then to insult and to study to heal rather then to reject Gal. 6.1 considering themselves lest they also be tempted This is the priviledg of the Children of promise strength goeth out from the Covenant with instruction the Lord who commandeth light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts q. d. God hath taught us by such a word as that whereby he made the World a creating word a word that giveth strength as well as Councel And this teaching it is which the Prophet David so frequently importuneth in his prayers Psal 119.33 cum 35. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes make me to Go in the paths of thy Commandments Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will mark that not only teach me the way but teach me to go not only teach me thy will but teach me to do thy will Common teaching may teach an Hypocrite the way but saving teaching only teacheth the soul to go in that way an unregenerate man may know the Will of God Nehem. 8 10. but he knoweth not how to do that Will. The joy of the Lord is our strength This is the fifth property A fifth property 5 Property Sweet The Teachings of God are sweet and pleasant teachings Psal 119.102 Psal 119 102 Thou hast taught me what followeth How sweet are thy words unto my taste sweeter then hony unto my mouth He rolled the Word and Promises as Sugar under his tongue and sucked from thence more sweetness then Samson did from his hony-comb Luther said Cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere Luth. Tom. 4. oper lat he would not live in Paradise if he must live without the Word but with the Word saith he I could live in Hell it self When Christ puts in his teaching-hand by the hole of the door to teach the heart Cant. 5.5 his fingers drop sweet smelling myrrhe upon the handles of the Lock The Teachings of Christ leave a sweet remembrance of himself behinde them Cant. 1.4 We will remember thy Love more then wine As people when they are drunk with wine wherein is excess are apt to sing and hollow so those that are filled with the Spirit cannot but insult and triumph in the wonderful things which they taste and see in the Word There cannot be but much spiritual joy in divine Teaching because the Spirit doth accompany the Truths and so irradiate them with his own beauty and glory the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Christ that they do not onely affect but ravish the heart Psal 119 140 Sunt Scripturae tuae Deliciae meae Aug. Thy Word is pure therefore thy servant loveth it The Prophet saw a beam of divine excellency sitting upon the Word and that did ensnare his Soul Truth is burdensom to unsound spirits because convincing and they labor
later the convinced soul sees sin a greater evil then affliction whatever it be and now as it were forgetting the affliction begins to mourn only for sin Iob. 7.20 crying out with holy Job in the dust I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men he saith not my substance is spoiled my Children destroyed my body is become a Spittle of loathsom Diseases and my self a terror to my self and standers by what wilt thou do unto me O thou preserver of men but I have sinned what shall I do unto thee c. Affliction led him to sin Correction was made conviction and sin now lyeth heavier upon him then all his sufferings This is the first comprehensive Lesson The second followeth sc 2. Comprehensive Lesson The emptiness of the Creature In our prosperity we stick in the Creature The emptiness of the world and dote upon the Creature the things and persons in this present world as if there our happiness and comfort were bound up but in the day of adversity God convinceth us of our mistakes by causing us to see the emptiness and vanity of all sublunary contentments we begin to find the world to be but guilded emptiness a meer nothing Then ask the soul what it thinks of the World and all the elements thereof the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life as the Apostle sorts them which formerly did so glitter in its eyes Isa 40.6 and the answer will be with the Prophet all flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field vanity of vanities all is vanity The afflicteth soul saith of all Creature-excellency It is not it looks upon them as so many non-entities Prov. 23 5 so many Nots Not that which it seems Not that which is promiseth Not that which we expect and flatter our selves with Riches profit not in the day of wrath Prov. 11 4 Whatsoever it is that a man makes his riches whether friend or wealth or parts or Creature-interest whatsoever they profit not i. e. they cannot deliver out of the hands either of death or judgment And besides the soul finds by experience the unsutableness and dissatisfaction that is in all these seen things that there is no proportion between an invisible soul and visible comforts Fulgentins triumphos Romanos cum spectarit appellavit vanitem Author vitae apud Sur. procop l. 2. de bello Vand. between an immortal soul and perishing contentments between a spiritual being and an earthly portion that the winde which a man takes in by gaping will as soon fill an hungry belly as Creature-comforts will satisfie the Spirit In the hour of temptation the soul says miserable comforters are ye all Physicians of no value upon which a man may bestow all that he hath in expectation of a cure and find himself no whit better but rather worse surely the world in all its bravery is to the afflicted soul no better then the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram which he called Cabul that is to say displeasing or dirty 1 King 9.13 the day of affliction is one of those days wherein men cast away their Idols of silver and their Idols of Gold Isa 2.20 which they made each one for himself to worship Abite hinc Abite Ion ge Phil Morn to the Moles and to the Bats and saith unto them with indignation Get ye hence 3. 3 Summary Lesson Fulness of Christ And lastly in the day of affliction God discovers to the soul the fulness of Jesus Christ There is an infinite fulness in Jesus Christ It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Colos 1.19 The Covenant of grace is suted to all the exigencies and indigencies of a poor undone convinced sinner 2 Sam. 23.5 it is ordered in all things In opposition to the power of corruption in the heart I will put saith God my Law in their inward parts Ier. 31 33 34. c. In opposition to error and ignorance in the understanding they shall all know me c. In opposition to Guilt I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more And the Offices of Jesus Christ are suted to all the branches of the Covenant In order to the first branch I will write my Law in their hearts c. Behold Jesus Christ is a King In order to the second they shall all know me c. behold Jesus Christ is a Prophet and in order to the third I will forgive their iniquities behold Jesus Christ is a Priest The Offices of Christ fill and execute the Covenant of grace and the fulnes of God fills acts the Offices of Jesus Christ the Power of God and the fulness of Power his Kingly Office The wisdom of God and the fulness of wisdom his prophetical Office The Righteousness of God and the fulness of Righteousness Psal 45.7 his priestly Office this is that which the Psalmist celebrateth in that Song of Loves God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladnes ABOVE THâ— FELLOWS never King was anointed with such power never Prophet with such wisdom never Priest with such Grace and Righteousness they had their stinted proportions but God gave not the spirit by measure unto HIM Ioh. 3 34. Colos 2 9 In him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily It is not less then an infinite fulness which fills Jesus Christ as Mediator that we of his fulness might receive grace for grace But we are not always in a capacity either to receive or to see that fulness And the reason is because in our prosperity we fill our selves so with the World Intus eaistens prohibet â—lienum covenda sunt islaâ—b lectamenta tanquam laquei et plagae c. Lactan. divin Inst l. 6. c. 21. Isa 53 2. with the pleasures and profits of the World that it fares with Christ now as it did when he was born there is no room for him in the Inn while the World glitters in our eyes with her painted gaudery he hath no form nor COMLINES and when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him we are very prone to love the World for the World terminate our affections in the Creature and do not use terrene comforts in that way Minus te amat Domine qui at liquid amat quod non preter te amat In licitis perimus engies and to that end that we might thereby be the more fitted to walk with God and when our desires are such the more they are the lefs are our delights in Jesus Christ this is our sin and folly that we do not fear the unlawful use of unlawful things nor see where the snare lieth to inveagle those affections to the Creature which are only due to God himself and a great reproach it is to Jesus Christ But now when God spreads
King he chastens as a Prophet he teacheth and as a Priest he hath purchas'd this grace of his Father that the Rod might blossom that Correction might be consecrated for Instruction unto the redeemed Behold a sanctified affliction is a cup whereinto Jesus Christ hath wrung and prest the juice and vertue of all his Mediatory Offices surely that must be a cup of generous and royal wine like that in the Supper a Cup of blessing to the people of God And thus I have finished the fourth particular propounded for the clearing and confirming of the Doctrine sc the Grounds and Demonstrations of the point and with it the whole Doctrinal part of this great and blessed Truth namely That it is a blessed thing when CORRECTION and INSTRUCTION WORD and ROD go together I come now to the Use for the improvement of the point And it may serve for Information Exhortation First For Information and that in these particulars First Affliction alone cannot evidence a man to be blessed If they only be blessed whom God chasteneth and teacheth then Affliction alone is not enough to evidence a man to be an happy man no man is therefore blessed because he is chastened blows alone are not enough Ier 31.18 either to evince or to effect a state of blessedness Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised cryeth repenting Ephraim q. d. I have had blows enough if blows would have done me good nay but under all the strokes and smitings of thy displeasure I have been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke unteachable and untractable thou hast drawn one way and I have drawn another thou hast pull'd forward and I have pull'd backward all thy chastisements have left me as they found me brutish and rebellious Surely blows onely may break the neck sooner then the heart They are in themselves the fruit of divine wrath a branch of the curse and therefore cannot possibly of themselves make the least argument of Gods love to the Soul Bastards have blows as well as Children and Fools because of their transgression are afflicted Ps 107.17 And yet it is very sad to consider that this is the best evidence that the most of men have for Heaven because they suffer in this world they think they shall be freed from sufferings in the World to come and because they have an hell here they hope they shall escape Hell hereafter they hope they shal not have two hells yes poor deluded Soul thou mayst have two Hells and must have two Hells without better evidence for Heaven Cain had two Hells and Judas had two Hells and millions of reprobate men and women have two Hells one of this life in torments of body and horror of conscience and another of the life to come in unquenchable fire and so I say shalt thou unless thou get better evidence for Heaven then the present misery which is upon thee the plagues and evils which are upon thee may be but the beginnings of sorrows pain now in the body may be but a forerunner of torments hereafter in thy Soul thou mayst have a prison on Earth and a dungeon in Hell thou mayst now want a crum of bread and hereafter a drop of water thou mayst now be the reproach of men Isai 66.24 Prov. 1.24 and hereafter the scorn of men and Angels and of God himself And therefore be wise to Salvation by working it out with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 2 Pet. 1.10 and giving all diligence make your Calling and Election sure God forbid that a man should take that for his security from Hell which may be but the prelibations of Hell the pledg and aggravation of endless misery Why but doth not the Scripture say Object Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth And again Heb. 12.6 As many as I love I rebuke chasten Rev. 3.19 Yes but mark I beseech you though the Scripture saith Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Answ it doth not say Whomsoever the Lord chasteneth he loveth Though it saith He scourgeth every son whom he receiveth it doth not say whomsoever he scourgeth he receiveth him as a son Christ saith As many as I love I rebuke and chasten but he saith not As many as I rebuke and chasten I love These Scriptures include children but they do not exclude bastards they tye chastening to sonship but not sonship to chastening the sons are chastened but all the chastened are not therefore sons the beloved are rebuked but all that are rebuked are not consequently beloved But that place in Job 5.17 seems to say as much Behold happy is the man whom God correcteth It is true but one Scripture must interpret another David must expound Eliphaz Happy is the man whom God correcteth i. e. when instruction goeth along with correction when chastisement and teaching accompany one another Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law The Scripture doth not usually give things their names but when they are made up of all their integrals Who so fendeth a wife findeth a good thing Pro. 18.22 and obtaineth favor of the Lord i. e. a wife made up of Scripture qualifications otherwise a man may and many men do finde a plague in a wife and hath her from the Lord in wrath and not in love Every married woman is not a wife a bad woman is but the shadow of a wife And so here in this case c. Indeed chastening and affliction is an opportunity of mercy a may-be to happiness but not singly an evidence of happiness lay no more upon it then it will bear it is an opportunity improve it it is no more do not trust it Secondly 2 Branch of Informat Afflictions conclude not a man miserable This Doctrine informs us thus much sc that as affliction simply considered is not enough to make or evidence a man to be happy so neither is it sufficient to conclude a man to be miserable No man is therefore miserable because afflicted It may prove a teaching affliction and then he is happy And yet this is another mistake among men And that 1. In reference to others 2. In reference to our selves 1. In reference to others People are very prone to judg them wretched whom they see afflicted it was the miserable mistake of Jobs friends to conclude HIM miserable because smitten cursed because chastened 2. In reference to our selves it is a merciless mistake sometimes even of Gods own children to sit down under affliction especially if sore and of long continuance and conclude God doth not love them because he doth correct them It seems to be the very case of the beleeving Hebrews they judged themselves out of Gods favor Heb. 12 because under Gods frowns not at all beloved because so greatly afflicted under many and sore persecutions as you may see Chap. 10.32 33 34. And therefore it is that upon
be none to deliver A fifth branch of Information may be to teach us thus much sc 5 Branch Informat They may be blessed whom the world judgeth miserable That they may be blessed whom the world accounts miserabl The World judgeth meerly by outward appearances and therefore may easily be mistaken They see the chastisement which is upon the flesh and thence conclude a man miserable but they cannot discover that divine teaching which is upon the spirit which truly rendereth him incomparably blessed The men of the world are incompetent judges of the estate and condition of Gods Children The godly mans happiness or misery is not to be judged by the worlds sense and feeling Nemo aliorum sensu misâ—r est sâ—a suo Salv. de gub Dei lib. 1. but by his own it lieth inward save onely so far as by the fruits it is discernable and the worlds faculty of judging is onely outward made up of sense and reason therefore said the Apostle The spiritual man judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man that is he is able to judg of the condition of the men of the world but the men of the world are not able to judg of his condition because it is above their faculty the natural man thinks the spiritual man under affliction to be miserable but the spiritual man knows the natural man in the midst of his greatest abundance and bravery to be miserable indeed Therefore may the Saints in their troubles think it with Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4 3 a very small thing to be judged of mans judgment This is but * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of mans day mans day of judging so the word signifieth Gods day is coming when things and persons shall be valued by another census or rate Christ in his day shall judg not after the sight of the eyes i.e. not as things appear to sense and reason nor after the hearing of the ears i. e. according to the report of the world but with righteousness shall he judg i. e. He shall judg of things and persons as they are and not as they appear Interim this is also another comfort We have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgment of Christ by vertue whereof we are enabled in our measure to judg of things and persons as Christ himself judgeth A sixth branch of Information 6 Branch Insoâ—m To shew the wisdom power and goodness of God Is Chastisement a blessing when accompanyed with Instruction See then and admire the Wisdom Power and Goodness of God who can make his people better by their sufferings Who knows how to ferch oyl out of the scorpion to extract gold out of clay to draw the â—ichest wine out of gall and wormwood that can turn the greatest evil of the body to the greatest good of the Soul the Curse it self into a Blessing that can make the withered rod of affliction to bad Isai 27.9 yea to bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Behold I shew you a mystery Sin brought Affliction INTO the world and God makes * By this shal the iniquity of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Affliction to carry sin OUT of the world Persecution is but the pruning Christs Vine c. The Almond tree is made fruitful by driving nails into it Iust Martyr in Apol. letting out a noxious gum that hindereth the fruitfulness thereof God never intendeth more good to his children then when he seems to deal most severely with them Patrium habet Deus adversus bonos viros animum illos fortiter amat Sen. Our tonis viris mala accidant The very Heathen hath observed it to us God doth not love his children with a weak womanish affection but with a strong masculine love and had rather they suffer hardship then perish Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth God will rather fetch blood then lose a Soul break Ephraims bones then suffer him to go on in the frowardness of his heart Destroy the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 11 32 Vâ—ribus res disposita est lugea mus itaque dum Ethnici gaudent ut cumlagere caeperint gaudeamus c. Terr l. de spectic c. 28 7 Branch Inform. Sufferings not dreadful as Nature apprehends We are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world His Discipline is made up of severity and love he doth chastise but he will teach also that so his children may inherit the blessing the discipline is sharp but the end is sweet Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Seventhly It shews us That a suffering condition is not so formidable a thing as flesh and blood doth represent it It is ignorance and unbelief which slandereth the Dispensations of God and casteth reproach upon the Cross of Christ He that heard the words of God which saw the vision of the Almighty having his eyes opened could by way of holy triumph ask this quâ—stion Why should I fear in the days of evil Psal 49.5 q. d. what is there in an afflicted estate so much to be dreaded let any man shew me a reason and I will give way to fear and despondency And that is more observable which follows When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about This is an addition of the greatest weight and wonder imaginable the meaning is when my transgressions pursue me so close that they even tread upon my heels as it were when sin it self hath brought me into the snare when God is correcting me for my iniquities why truly Christians that 's the thing which a child of God doth most of all tremble at to consider that he hath sin'd himself into a suffering condition In sufferings purely Evangelical viz. persecution for righteousness sake a gracious heart can see many times more cause of rejoycing then of perplexity 1 Pet. 4.13 16 Phil. 1.29 and look upon them as a gift rather then an imposition but afflictions and miseries which sin brings upon a man seem to be judicial and penal and carry a face of wrath rather then of love I but observe it even in these the Psalmâ—st can see no just cause of fear Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about See when sin and sorrows besiege him on every side he is fearless and knows no reason to the contrary unless any one can tell him what it is How so surely upon the same account in my Text because David had a God that could teach as well as chastise and therefore though sin were as poyson in his cup of
affliction yet divine teaching could antidote that poyson and turn it into a cup of blessing unto him Thy rod and thy staff comfort me Psa 23 4. O that the children of God in affliction or entering upon sufferings would sit down and dwell upon this Consideration The fruit and advantage which God knoweth how to bring out of all their sorrows even the peaceable fruits of righteousness This would keep them from uncomely despondencies and dejections of spirit For this cause we faint not saith the Apostle for what cause 2 Cor. 4.16.18 while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen that is to say not at the visible sufferings but at the invisible fruit and advantage of our sufferings This holds up head and keeps up heart and maketh the Soul not onely to be patient but to glory in tribulation Knowing that tribulation worketh patience Rom. 5 3 4 5 Pericula non respicit Mar. yr coronas respicit Basil ad 40 Martyr and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us This is the way to counterpoise the temptation and in the conflict between the flesh and the spirit to come in to the succor of the better part Eightly 8 Branch Inform. Why we stay so long under affliction It shews us the reason why God doth keep some of his people so long under the Discipline of the Rod. Truly God doth not onely bring his children into the School of affliction but many times keeps them long there Psa 125.3 The rod of the wicked indeed shall not ALWAYS rest on the back of the righteous I but it may lie long for months for years for many years together seventy years were the Jews in the house of Correction at Babylon four hundred years in the brick-kils of Egypt Story and experience will serve in instances without number Hence you have the people of God so often at their How-longs in Scripture Psal 6.3 But thou O Lord HOVV LONG Psal 13.1 2. HOVV LONG wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever HOVV LONG wilt thou hide thy face from me HOVV LONG shall I take counsel in my Soul HOVV LONG shall mine Enemy be exalted over me In this Psalm where my Text is HOVV LONG shall the wicked HOVV LONG shall the wicked triumph twice How long before he can vent his complaint and yet again the third time HOVV LONG shall they utter and speak hard things HOVV LONG cries Jeremiah Ier. 4.21 shall I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet and Zechariah Zech. 1.12 O Lord of Hoasts HOVV LONG wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah The Souls under the Altar Revel 6.10 cry with a loud voyce i. e. in much anguish and agony HOVV LONG O Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Verily God doth keep his people sometimes so long under their pressures that they begin at length even to give themselves up to despair and to conclude they shal never see deliverance Thus you finde not onely the common multitude of the Jews in the Babylonian captivity concluding desperately Our bones are dryed Lam. 3.53 our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts dry bones may as well live as our captitivity have an end but even the Prophet Jeremiah himself whether in his own person or in the name of the whole Church I know not possibly both They have cut off my life in the dungeon and cast a stone upon me He seems to himself to be in the condition of a man that is dead and buried and the grave-stone rould to the mouth of the Sepulchre a Metaphor expressing an hopeless and desperate condition yea hence it is that when deliverance is nigh they cannot believe it though a Prophet of God or an Angel from Heaven should report it Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favor her yea the set-time is come sings the Prophet Daniel or some other that lived neer the expiration of the seventy years captivity and yet in the mean time the Jews reply as before Our bones are dryed our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts q. d. tell not us of Gods arising c. we shall never see Sion again we are but dead men Observe it by the way They that would not believe the captivity while it was in the threatening Hab. 1.5 would not believe deliverance when it was in the promise A just judgment upon them that that they that would not beleeve God threatening should not beleeve God promising But that 's not all Deliverance was so incredible after so long a captivity that they could not bleeve it when they saw it When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion Psa 126.1 we were like them that dream They knew not as it fared with Peter half awake and half asleep Acts 12.9 whether it was true or whether they saw a vision onely Is this a real deliverance or are we in a dream onely Our Saviour tells us that when the Son of man shall come Luk. 18.8 i. e. with particular deliverances to his Church he shall not find faith on the earth there will not be faith enough in the people of God to beleeve it by reason of the long pressures and persecutions that have been upon them Now I say what is the reason that God suffers affliction to lie so long upon the backs of his children Truly one Reason is because they have lived long in sin they have been long a sinning and therefore God is long a correcting God puts them to THEIR How-longs because they have put God to HIS How-longs Exod. 6.28 HOVV LONG refuse ye to keep my Commandments and my Laws HOVV LONG will this people provoke me and HOVV LONG will it be ere they believe Jerem. 4.14 HOVV LONG shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Hosea 8.5 HOVV LONG will it be ere they attain to innocency c. And truly if they have made God complain of THEIR How-longs no wonder if God make them complain of HIS How-longs But then again another and the main reason is because the work is not yet done they do not receive Instruction by their Correction else affliction would quickly cease God giveth not a blow he draws not a drop of blood more then needs For a season 1 Pet. 1.6 if NEED be ye are in heaviness if there be heaviness there is need of it and if heaviness continue long there is need of it It is not to gratifie their Enemies that God keeps them so long under their lash but to teach them not that God afflicts willingly Lam. 3.33 c. but that he may do them good in their latter end that by the rod
of Correction he may drive out that folly which is in their hearts And when that is done then they shall stay no longer for their deliverance then God opens the prison doors and throws the rod into the fire and infinite mercy it is that they are not delivered till they are bettered that God will not cease chastening till they are willing to cease sinning saying I have born affliction I will offend no more that which I see not teach thou me and if I have done wickedly I will do so no more Ninthly 9 Branch Inform. How unteachable we are by nature Take notice from hence what unteachable creatures we are by nature who will not set our hearts to receive Instruction till we be whipt to it by the rod of correction and hardly then neither unless God multiply stripes it is not multiplying of precepts that will do us good there must be stripe upon stripe and affliction upon affliction as well as line upon line and precept upon precept or else it is in vain we are so brutish with Ephraim that we make God spends his rods upon us and when all is done God must turn us by main strength or else our folly will not depart from us This is a lamentation and should be for a lamentation We would say that were a very bad child that will be taught no longer then the rod is upon his back such are we we are so indocible that we put God to it as it were to study what methods and courses to take with us How shall I do for the Daughter of my people Ier. 9 7 I will melt them and try them c. Well let us judg our selves and justifie God Tenthly and lastly 10 Branch Inform. How much good hearts love Instruction It sheweth us on the contrary How much gracious hearts are in love with the Word for the improvement of their spiritual knowledg wherein they can put such an estimate upon their sufferings and account that their blessing which other men call their misery BLESSED is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest The Psalmist in another place speaketh very warmly to this purpose It is good for me that I have been afflicted Ps 119 71 why that I might learn thy Statutes He loveth the Word so dearly that for the Words sake he is in love with affliction The whip the rod the prison the wilderness any thing is precious that brings Instruction with it Carnal people can be content to dye in their ignorance so they might dye in their nest whereas gracious hearts think not much to go to School to a Bridewell and even while the blood is running down the back can say it is good because they are taught by it O the different account that Grace and Nature make of the same Dispensation It is proud disdain to scorn to be taught by the lowest of Gods Ushers The treasure is precious Vilis saepe cadus nobile nectar habet though in an earthen vessel There is none too old none too wise none too high to be put into the meanest School on this side Heaven I have done with the use of Information I come now in the second place to the Use of Exhortation And it is to four sorts of People 1. Such as are yet free from sufferings Use Exhor 2. Such as are under sufferings 3. Such as are come out of a suffering condition 4. Parents in reference to their children The first branch of Exhortation is to such as through the patience and forbearance of God are yet free from chastisement and affliction 1 Branch Exhort To them that are free from sufferings The Candle of the Almighty doth shine in their Tabernacle and they wash their steps in butter c. Why now would ye prevent chastisement and keep off the strokes of divine displeasure from your selves or families Let me commend unto you A twofold Caution from this Doctrine 1. Study these Lessons well while ye are in the School of the Word 2. Labor to be instructed by the chastisements and afflictions which you see upon other men First 1 Caution To prevent affliction labor to profit by the Word If you would prevent chastisement study these and the like Lessons well while ye are under the Teachings of the Word Therefore doth God send us into the School of affliction because we have been non-proficients in the School of the Gospel because we will not hear the Word we force God to turn us over to a severer Discipline and to have our ears bored with affliction and then saith God now hear the rod and who hath appointed it O my beloved labor I beseech you to profit much by the Teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospel set your hearts to all the truths and counsels of God revealed to you therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 I am 1.13 The Gospel is the model or platform of sound words able to make you sound Christians wise to Salvation O let your profiting be made known to all men In special set your hearts to those Instructions or Lessons propounded in the Doctrinal part of this subject for the neglect whereof God is fain to send his people into captivity that there he may teach them with the bryars and thorns of the wilderness In particular 1. Learn in the time of your peace and tranquillity to lay to heart the sufferings of the rest of your brethren that are in the world Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them Heb. 3.13 Think of them that are in prison whose feet are hurt in the stocks and the irons do enter into their soul with the very same affection and affliction of spirit as if you your selves lay bound in chains by them in the same dungeon put your Souls in their Souls steads and content not your selves with those loose and fruitless and transient glances which those that are at ease in Sion do usually cast upon men in misery Be thou warmed and filled Iam. 2.16 a cold Lord have mercy on them and there 's an end Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and that you may know you are not to confine your compassion to prisoners onely it follows And them that suffer adversity c. Learn to sympathize with all the people of God under any adversity whatsoever hide not your eyes and shut not up your bowels of compassion from any that are in a suffering condition and that upon this account As being your selves in the body If the duty respect thy brother the motive respects thy self thou art yet in the body and while you remain in the flesh you cannot promise your selves one hours exemption from troubles but are exposed to the same common calamities which attend a state of mortality as it is an argument of comfort to them that are in affliction 1 Cor. 10 13 that their temptations and tryals are common to men God doth not
rod and who hath appointed it It is the great mistake and folly of men that they make more haste to get their afflictions removed then sanctified The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed and that he should not dye in the pit c. q. d. men would fain break prison or leap 〈…〉 the window before God open 〈…〉 But this their way is their folly so the following words imply But I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea whose waves roared Verse 15. the Lord of Hosts is his Name q. d. Men would fain be delivered but they take not the right course Deliverance belongs unto me I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea and made it a way for my ransomed to pass over and that when it was most tempestuous when the waves thereof roared When I will deliver no obstruction can stand in the way and yet Israel now in captivity will not look to me I am the Lord of Hosts that have all the Armies in Heaven and Earth at command and yet when they are besieged with troubles and dangers I cannot hear from them they run to the creature and neglect God or if they cry to me in their distresses it is for deliverance only but not for teaching though I have put my words in thy mouth vers 16. that is I have given them my Laws and Statutes wherein I have made known my design in affliction why I send them into captivity namely that there I might TEACH THEM that I might humble them and prove them and make them know what is in their heart This is the shortest way to deliverance and in this path if they had trod I would have planted the Heavens and layd the foundations of the Earth vers 16. even the NEVV HEAVENS and the NEVV EARTH of Ierusalems Restoration and say to Sion Thou art my people in the same verse This is Cods method wherein he will own his people and wherein if they meet him they shall not stay long for their deliverance And therefore be wise O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted Isai 54.11 be instructed lest Gods Soul depart from thee make more haste to be taught then to be delivered and chuse rather to have thy affliction sanctified then removed Consider 1. That this is Gods design 1. If we cross Gods project God will cross ours that he might teach thee by his chastisements and if thou crossest Gods design God will cross thy design if thou wilt not let God have his end in instruction he will not let thee have thy end in enlargement The only way to retard deliverance is to make too much haste to be delivered and he that beleeveth will not make haste 2. Consider 2. Deliverance is not the Blessing That bare deliverance is not the Blessing I told you before that deliverance alone is but the fruit of common bounty I le tell you more now Deliverance alone may be the fruit of the Curse a man may be delivered in wrath and not in love Deliverance from one affliction may but make way for another for a greater Affliction may return like the unclean spirit with seven more worse then it self So God threatens an unteachable people If by these things ye will not be reformed but will walk contrary to me cross my design in my chastisements then will I walk contrary to you Levit. 26.23 24. I will cross your design and in stead of deliverance I will punish you yet seven times more for your sins The blessing of correction is instruction O let not God go till he bless thee It is a sad thing to have affliction but not the blessing of affliction to feel the wood of the Cross but not the good of the Cross to taste the bitter root but not the sweet fruit of a suffering condition the Curse but not the Cordial Truly in such a case one affliction may not only make way for another for more for greater but affliction here may make way for damnation hereafter and as one saith wittily by all the fire of affliction in this world a man may be but perboild for Hell And therefore mind instruction study the Lessons of a suffering condition ut sup and be importunate for nothing so much as to be taught of God and to be taught not with a common teaching but that special Covenant saving teaching which changeth the Soul into the nature of the Truth and makes it holy as it is holy and pure as it is pure and heavenly as it is heavenly He for our profit Heb. 12.10 that we might be partakers of his holiness Third Branch of Exhortation 3 Branch of Exhort to such as are come forth of affliction To them that are come out of affliction and fiery tryals Sit down Christian and reflect upon thy self turn in upon thine own heart examine thy self Have teachings accompanied chastisements hath the rod budded cast up thy accounts What hast thou learn'd in the School of Affliction Not to go over the larger Catechism of those twenty Lessons again view the abbreviate Hath God discovered to thee the sinfulness of sin the emptiness of the creature the fulness of Christ Is no evil like to the evil of sin * Fornicatur anima quae avertitur abs te quaerit extra te ea quae pura liquida non invenit nisi cum redit ad te Aug. Confess l. 2. c. 5. no good like to Iesus Christ Is the world become an empty vanity a mockery a nothing in thine eyes Canst thou say it is good I have been afflicted and canst thou point out that good and say This I had this I have got by my sufferings I know divine Truth more inwardly more clearly more experimentally more powerfully more sweetly then ever it hath a more abiding impression upon my heart I would speak a word 1. To them that can evidence these teachings to their own Souls 2. To them that cannot First To those who through grace do find the fruit of affliction in the savory and saving teachings of God upon their hearts let me by way of Exhortation commend a threefold duty to you 1. Three duties Study to be thankful 2. Labor to preserve the teachings of God upon thy spirit 3. 1 Duty Thankfulness The priviledges of being taught as well as corrected Learn to pray for them that are afflicted and what to pray First Study to be thankful Hath God taught thee as well as chastised thee O say with David What shall I render to the Lord For consider how great things God hath done for thy Soul 1. 1. It is more better then deliverance God hath done more for thee then if he had never brought thee into affliction and trouble or then if he had brought thee out the same day on which he sent thee in if he had delivered thee upon the first prayer that ever thou madest in thine affliction
it had not been a comparable mercy to his teachings of thee by affliction Prevention and deliverance may be in wrath ut sup but God never teacheth the Soul but iâ— is in love 2. 2. It is a double a multiplied mercy God hath doubled his mercy and loving kindness to thee he hath commanded deliverance and instruction too a twisted mercy yea as Deliverance and Instruction were the return of Prayer a treble a multiplyed mercy which should greatly endear the heart to God and make it sing with David I wil love the Lord Psa 116.1 because he hath heard the voyce of my Supplication upon the return of prayer in a single deliverance God expects the return of prayse Cal upon me in the day of trouble Psa 50.15 I wil deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me how much more when he wreaths and twists his mercies one in another double and treble and multiplyed mercy cals for double and treble and multiplyed thankfulness when God loads us with mercy we should load him with our praises 3. 3 A seal of Adoption Instruction is the Seal of God which set upon Correction doth Seal up Adoption and Son-ship to them that are exercised thereby the children of affliction are by Divine Teaching sealed up the children of promise If his children forsake my Law speaking of Christs spirituall Seed Psa 89.31 32 33. I wil visit their transgression with a rod c. but my loving kindness wil I not take away I wil visit them with the rod that is I will teach them with the rod it shall be a rod of Instruction to them that is the childrens portion Heb 12.7 If his children forsake me c. God deals with you as with Sons Behold oh thou Christian soul God hath done that for thee in thy sufferings which possibly he denyed thee in thy prosperity given thee an Evidence of thy Son-ship he hath made thy suffering time thy sealing time and hath allured thee and brought thee into the wilderness Hos 2.14 and there hath spoken comfortably to thy heart Thy Patmos hath been thy Paradice wherein hee hath given thee his loves 4. 4. Sufferings are consecrated God hath consecrated thy sufferings by his Teachings Afflictions have taken Orders as it were and stand no longer in the rank of Ordinary Providences but serve now in the Order of Gospel-Ordinances officiating in the holy garment of Divine Promises and to the same Uses What is the great end and design of the Promises the Apostle tels us 2 Pet. 1.4 There are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises that by them we should be pertakers of the divine nature i.e. of gracious dispositions and qualities which make the soul resemble God holy as he is holy c. this is the end of Divine Promises and Ordinances and mark what the Apostle Peter affirms of the Promises the very same doth the Apostle Paul affirm of Gods chastisments Heb. 12.10 He for our profit that we might be PARTAKERS Of His HOLINES See by vertue of divine teaching afflictions advancd to the same degree office with Gospel Ordinances and Promises so that what hinders why we may not give those titles of honour to Afflictions which the Apostle here gives to the Promises and say To you it is GIVEN not only to beleeve but to suffer Phil. 1.29 There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Afflictions that by them we might be partakers of the divine nature that is made partakers of his holiness See O thou afflicted Soul by teaching God hath changed the very nature of affliction He hath turned thy water into wine a prison a bed of sickness into a school into a temple wherein he hath taught thee into his own likeness 5. 5. The sufferer is consecrated As God hath consecrated thy sufferings so he hath consecrated thee also by thy sufferings As it is said of Christ Heb. 2.10 He made the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he consummated or perfected Christ became a perfect Mediator by his passion the Cross was the complement and absolution of his Mediatory-office Ioh. 19.30 Transacta sunt omnia hence you hear him cry upon the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is finished And thus also may it be said of the members of Christ they are perfected by sufferings Chastisement being coupled with teaching is the Consecration and Consummation of the Saints I fill up saith Paul Col. 1.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is Behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh the after-sufferings of Christ As Christ as a Mediator so Christ as one Body with his members is compleated by sufferings I fill up that which is behind Christ is not full till all his members have had their measure of sufferings You have need of patience Heb. 10.36 that when you have done the will of God you may inherit the Promises When we have done Gods will all is not done there is somewhat to be suffered without which the Christian is not in a capacity to receive his inheritance you have need of patience sc to carry you through the suffering part of your work as well as the doing that so being perfect you may inherit the Promises Lastly 6. Crown'd with the Blessing He is blessed quia eruditur ad beatudinem Greg. Moral in Iob 5.17 By adding instruction to correction God hath crown'd thee with the blessing * Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest God hath turn'd the Crown of thorns into a Crown of gold and set it on thy head and now brings thee forth wearing this Crown and shews thee as it were to the world as a monument of free-grace proclaiming before thee Thus shall it be done to the man whom God will honour Well then Christian take up thy quid retribuam sit down and consult with thine own Soul what to render for so rich amercy and behold it is resolved to thy hand Psa 50.15 I will deliver thee and THOU SHALT GLORIFIE ME Behold God hath not only delivered but taught thee now therefore he expecteth glory from thee Glorifie God 1. Wiâ—h your lips Glorifie God 1. With thy lips I cryed to him with my lips and he was GLORIFIED with my TONGUE Let the lip of prayer be turn'd into the tongue of praise make your tongues your glory by proclaiming Gods glory be telling what great things God hath done for you say with David Psa 66.15 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness make his praise glorious Extol him in Psalms of Thanksgiving Sing unto the Lord Psal 30.4 O ye Saints of his give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Psa 50.23 He that offereth me praise GLORIFIETH ME. 2. Glorifie God with thy life 2.
dictate of their own lusts then of Gods Laws till at length God grew as weary if I may so say of counselling as they were of being counselled and gave them up to their own hearts lusts Psa 81.12 to walk in their own counsels That they that would not live by Gods counsels should perish by their own And therefore you that are come out of the house of bondage remember the sorrows of a suffering condition set not your heart so much upon the pleasure of your present enlargement as upon the bitterness of your former captivity The Church found great advantage in it when returned from Babylon Remembering mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall Lam. 3.19 my Soul hath them CONTINUALLY in remembrance and what was the fruit of it it follows And is humbled in me The meaning is this The people of God among the Jews that desired to keep close to God after their great deliverance experienc'd a serious and constant remembrance of those seventy years sufferings to be an excellent preservative to that humble and gracious frame of heart which God wrought them into in their captivity And yet that is not all As remembrance of affliction preserved Humility so Humility strengthened Faith This I recall to minde therefore have I HOPE Tribulation wrought patience and patience experience Rom. 5.3 and experience HOPE c. By the kindly operation of the remembrance of former Dispensations she began to conceive good HOPE through grace that God had not chastened Her in wrath but in love and that all her Tribulations were the fruit of the Promise not of the Threatening a Blessing not a Curse Go you and do likewise Thirdly 3 Help Remember all your uncomely carriage in affliction Call often to minde the sad discourses and reasonings the fears and tremblings which you have had in your bosoms in the times of trouble and distress Thus the Church Lam. 3.17 I forgat prosperity She had been so long in a suffering condition that now she can scarce remember that ever she saw a good day in all her life and at length she sits down and giveth her self up to despair And I SAID my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord She remembreth what unbelieving conclusions she made in her affliction I SAID c. And so the Prophet Jeremiah Vers 54. Waters flowed over mine head then I SAID I am cut off when he began to sink in the mire he remembreth how his heart began to sink with fear he calleth to minde what faithless language his heart spake I SAID I am cut off Thus David I SAID in my passion c. Psal 31.22 and 116.11 and Jonah 2.4 THEN I SAID I am cast out of thy sight Hezekiah makes a large narrative of what discourses he had in his own Soul what time he had received the sentence of death and leaveth it in writing to all posterity Isai 38.9 THE WRITING of Hezekiah King of Judah Isai 38.9 10 when he had been sick I SAID in the cutting off of my days what did he say truly he uttered very strange complaints for such an eminent Saint as he was I shall go to the gates of the grave I am deprived of the residue of my years I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world mine age is departed and a great deal to that purpose The sum whereof is this I shall dye I shall dye I must take my leave of this world and worms must eat my flesh in the grave c. Such uncomely words he uttered but he remembereth them afterward and is contented to shame himself for them to all the world he puts his fleshly complaints in print that he may humble himself and caution yea and comfort others And thus Christians should we do we should call to minde our SAIDS i. e. we should sit down and recount the impatiencies and short-spiritednesses the murmur and unbelief the love of a present world the fear of death the hard thoughts of God all the irregularities and distempers of our own spirits in the time of Tribulation I said I said c. Doubtless it would be of singular use as to humble our Souls and to check corruption so to endear and proserve the Teachings of God upon your Souls while you might tune Davids Thanksgiving conceived upon some such like occasion Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he TEACH SINNERS in the way q. d. I sinned against the Lord in my affliction by my impatience unbelief unhumbledness c. yet He was pleased not altogether to leave me without the Teachings of his Spirit not because I was good but because He was good not because I pleased HIM but because Mercy pleased HIM not because I was upright before Him but because He was UPRIGHT true and faithful to his own Promise hath he done it Good and upright is the Lord and therefore HE hath TAUGHT me though I was a sinner in the way Fourthly Remember your Vows 4 Means Remember your Vows When God by the fire of affliction shew'd you your folly discovered to you the hidden corruption of your hearts and brought your ways and doings to remembrance which were not good you were ashamed yea even confounded and said as it is in Job Lord wherein I have done wickedly I will do so no more But take heed it be not so with you as it was with backsliding Israel of whom God thus complaineth Of old time I have broken thy yoke Ier. 2.20 and burst thy bands and thou saidst I WILL NOT TRANSGRESS q. d. I brought thee hundreds of years since out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and then thou madest me fair promises I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals vers 2. Thou saidst I will do so no more Lord I 'l be covetous no more and idolatrous no more adulterous no more I will murmur no more I will no more depart from thee Thou art the Guide of my youth Good words had she been as good as her word but Oh read what followeth and tremble when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wandrest playing the harlot i. e. no sooner her old heart and her old temptations met but presently they fell into mutual embraces And this is the temper of out hearts for all the world * Nuper me cujusdam amici lanquor aâ—monuit â—pâ—imos esse nos dum infirmi sumus Plin. ep 26. l. 7 ad Max. we are very good while we are in affliction and promise fair but no sooner the tryal over but we forget Gods Teachings and our own Vows and return into the same course and fashion of conversation as before Now therefore if you would preserve the Teachings of God upon your spirits sit down remember your vows and spreading them before the Lord say with David Psal 66 13 14 I will pay thee
can heal our malady Pray thus for all your friends who are or have been in the furnace of affliction pray that they may come forth as gold purified seven times in the fire that they may lose nothing there but their rust Pray Lord what they see not teach them and if they have done wickedly let them do so no more One great use which Christians should make of reading the Scripture is to learn from thence the language of prayer And oh that the professors of this age would in this particular learn what to pray and how to pray for their brethren in tribulation O that they would censure less and pray more and in stead of speaking one of another speak more one to another and one for another that was the good old way Mal. 3.16 THEN they that feared the Lord spake often one To another But oh the tender praying healing restoring SPIRIT is departed and if Christians stir not up themselves to call it back again it is a sad presage that God is departing too Hos 9.12 and wo unto us when God departeth from us We are like water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again We judg before we enquire and reject before we admonish Our Brethren upon vain surmises are to us as Heathens and Publicans before we have been to them as Christians and fellow-members And this we think becometh us and we take a kind of pride and contentment in it But oh to inform to convince Gal. 6.1 Mat. 18.15 16 17. to exhort to pray to put the bone if out in joynt again this were done like the Disciples of Christ Violentia Sancta obtabilis rapina to shew our selves Christians indeed Professors not of the letter but of the Spirit and would gain our Brethren in stead of blasting them Consider what I say and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things And thus much for such as are come out of affliction and find that it hath been through free grace a teaching affliction But now secondly Exhort to them that have been corrected but not instructed To such as cannot evidence to their own Souls that chastening hath been accompanied with divine teaching in any Gospel-proportion or at least are not deeply sensible of the want of it here is a word of Exhortation for them suffer it I beseech you Roul your selves in the dust before the Lord smite upon your thigh sigh with the breaking of your loyns and cry out with Ephraim Thou hast chastised me Reader excuse the frequent use of this Scripture Ier. 31.18 Nunquam satis dicitur quod nunquam satis discitur that cannot be too often spoken which cannot be sufficiently learned Sen. Epist Hosea 9.11 Psal 58.8 and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke I have felt the blows of God but that is all I have received no more instruction by all my correction then a brute beast or if I had I have quickly lost it it is fled like a bird from the birth and from the womb and from the conception It is like the untimely fruit of a woman that never saw the Sun Truly thou hast cause to sit down and even wish for thy affliction again God had put himself into thy hands as it were and thou hast let him go without THE Blessing the blessing of saving Instruction how mayst thou even wish I say O that I were in prison again in my sick bed again in banishment again et sic in caet However humble thy self greatly before the Lord and wrestle mightily for the AFTER TEACHINGS of God upon thy heart pray Turn me Lord and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God what affliction hath not done Lord do thou set Omnipotency on work and it shall be done turn me and I SHALL BE turned that so thy Soul may yet speak to the praise of free grace AFTER that I returned I repented Ier. 31.19 and AFTER that I was instructed I smote upon the thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Urge the Lord as Sampson did after his victory Judg. 15.18 Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant and shall I now dye for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised Say thou Lord thou hast given thy servant this great deliverance from danger and death and shall I now perish for want of teaching and go down to Hell among the uncircumcised TEACH me thy way Psal 86.11 O Lord I will walk in thy truth Vnite my heart to fear thy Name TEACH me to do thy will Psa 143 10 for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of uprightness In a word desire the Lord that He would do all the work and then take all the glory Say Lord teach me as well as deliver me and I shall be blessed The fourâ—h and last Branch of Exhortation is to Parents and Governors To exhort them in the Education of their Children to imitate God Exhortat to Parents and that in two things 1. In affording their children due correction 2. To Correction to add Instruction First 1. Exhort Withhold not due correction Prov. 19.18 Afford your Children due correction It is the counsel of the Holy Ghost CHASTEN thy son while there is hope and let not thy Soul spare for his crying Behold God counselleth you that are Parents or in stead of Parents to do with your children as He doth with his wisely to use the discipline of the rod before vicious dispositions grow into habits and folly be so deeply rooted Pro. 22 15 Mr Trapp in his Comment on Prov. in locum that the Rod of Correction will not drive it out Error and folly saith one very well be the knots of Satan wherewith he ties children to the stake to be burnt in Hell and these knots are easiliest cut betimes or if you should make the child bleed in cutting of them let it not cause you to withdraw your hand for so it followeth Chasten thy son c. and let not thy Soul spare for his crying It is not only foolish but cruel pity to forbear correction for a few childish tears to suffer the child to howl in Hell for sin father then to shâ—d a few tears for the preventing of it Foolish fathers and mothers call this love but the Father of spirits calls it hatred He that spareth the rod Hateth his son Prov. 13.24 Surely there is nothing so ill spared as that whereby the child is spoiled such sparing is hatred and because you hate your children in not correcting of them they come afterward to hate you by not correcting of them But that is not all * Valde inutiliâ—â—er valdc perniciose sentiet filius patris lenitatem ut postea juste sentiat Dei severitatem Aug. in Psa 50. Ad interficiendum Pagn deriving the
original word from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Hiph sig to kill the parents lenity in this case makes way for Gods severity Pity to the flesh is cruelty to the soul so the Hebrew may be rendred Spare not to his destruction or to cause him to dye that is to occasion his destruction The foolish indulgence of the parent may be and often is the death of the child eternal death Parents spare their children in their folly to the destruction both of body and soul And this may help us to expound that other parallel text Withhold not correction from the child Pro 23.13 for if thou beat him with the rod he shall not dye The meaning may be either that correction will not kill him the rod will break no bones so preventing and reproving at once the silly tenderness of fond parents who think if they should correct their children they would presently dye of it they are as afraid to use the rod as if it were a sword * Antiqui patres ut Deo placerent admortem filiis etiam non parcebant nos autem cos quos secundum carnem diligimus etiam tenui verborum aspiritate insequi non audemuâ— Greg. in 1 Sam. 14. Abraham feared not so much to sacrifice his son as such parents fear to chasten him Nay but faith the Holy Ghost fear not correction for behold the strokes of the rod are not the strokes of death it is but a rod it is not a serpent take it into thy hand it may smart it will not sting To take away the fear of parents in this case God himself giveth them his word for it He shall not dye This I say may be the meaning by correcting thy child thou shalt not murder him Or else which I rather conceive the words may be a motive drawn from the fruit of correction Withhold not correction from the child why He shall not dye i. e. it may be and through divine blessing accompanying it is often a means to prevent death it may prevent the first and second death to which the child is exposed by the finful indulgence of the parent The * Greg. Nys in Cant. Hom. 12. word used in this place saith one seems to note an immortality so that He shall not dye is all one as if the Holy Ghost had said * There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words wherein more is understood then exprest 1 Cor. 11.32 He shal live for ever the rod on the flesh shall be a means to save the soul in the day of the Lord Jesus We are chastened that we should not be condemned with the world Psa 141.5 Such smitings as David saith in another case shall be a kindness and such rebukes are so far from breaking the head that they shall be an excellent oyl which shall cure and give life The very Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. l. 2. Correction is a kind of Physick or Medicine Alas our children are sick and cruel is that mercy which will suffer them to dyâ— yea eternally rather then disgust their palates with a little bitter physick Apish parents they be who hug their little ones to death * Peremptores potius quam parentes Paricides rather then Parents of whom we may say as sometime the * Cum dudisset Augustus inter pueros quos in Syria Herodes Rex Iudaeorum infea bimatum jussit interfici filium quoque ejus accisum ait melius est Herodis porcum esse quam filium Macrob Sat. lib. 2. c. 4. Roman Emperor said of Herod when he heard that he had murdered his own son among the rest of the infants when Christ was born that so he might be sure as he supposed to destroy the King of the Jews It were better to be such peoples swine then their sons O hateful indulgence merciless pity to lose a child for want of correction such parents throw both the rod and the child into the fire at once the rod into the fire of the chimney and the child into the fire of Hell This is not done like God Heb 12.6 for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth And so doth every wisely loving parent He that spareth the rod hateth his son but he that Loveth Him chasteneth him betimes Pro. 13 24 As moâ—hs are beaten out of a garment with a rod so must vices out of childrens hearts And for want of this disciplinary love how have some children accused their parents at the Gallows and how many do and will curse them in Hell in some such language as Cyprian supposeth infants to complain of their parents who denyed them Baptism Perdit nos aliena perfidia parenles sensimus paricidas Cyp. Scr. de lap The treacherous fondness of our parents hath brought us into these torments our fathers and mothers have been our murderers they that gave us our natural life have deprived us of a better and they that would not correct us with the rod have occasioned us now to be tormented with scorpions O it would grieve the heart of the most unnatural parept in the world to hear the doleful complainâ—s and those hideous yellings of poor children in Hell fire whom their fondness hath sent thither and oh that they would listen to them before they themselves come into that place of torment and there find no mercy because here they have shewed their children so much * Filius patris sentit lentiatem ut postea sentiat Dei severitatem Hoc Non Solus Sed Cum Dissoluto Patre Aug. in Psa 50. The childe goeth to Hell for his wickedness and the parent many times for his mercy Yea even in this life how do many godly Parents smart for their fondness because they will not make their Children smart for their folly †Vid. Chrysost l. 3. ad veritus vitup vitae Monasticae 1 Sam. 3.13 Because Eli restrained not his sons their sins destroyed him and his whole family Chrysost ut sup Eli and David would not so much as rebuke their sons and God gave them both great rebukes in their sons It is said of Eli His sons made themselves vile and he RESTRAINED them not the Hebr. signifieth He FROWNED not upon them Oh sad for want of a frown to destroy a Soul the Soul of a Childe to smile a Childe to Hell Consider of it I am much afraid this unchristian yea unnatural indulgence of Parents is the fountain of all that confusion under which England at this time reels and staggers like a drunken man and for this very sin at least for this among others yea and for this above others God is * Unde nos mala innumera perpetimur quotidie nonne quod filios nostros malos aspicimus nos emendare negligimus visiting all the families of the Land from the Throne to the poorest Cottage Parents
true moly though the root be bitter yet the fruit is sweet there is meat in the eater out of the strong comes sweetness and then when the Soul begins to taste the sweet fruit which grows upon that bitter root it says with the Church in the Lamentations Lam. 3 26 27 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord it is good that a man should bear the yoke in his youth i. e. I shall not be a loser by my sufferings I see the fruit will abundantly compensate the smart of a suffering condition Thus I say one way or other God works his children into a sweet obediential frame by their sufferings Even of Christ himself the Son of God by nature it is said Heb. 5 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. reipsa expertue est He learned obedience by the things which he suffered He experimentally came to know what it was to be subject to the Will of his Father It is most properly true of the adopted children they learn obedience by the things which they suffer and that not only in a passive but in an active sence By suffering Gods Will we learn to do Gods Will God hath no such obedient children as those whom he nurtures in the School of affliction At length God brings all his Scholars to subscribe What God will When God will How God will Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven A blessed Lesson A Fourth is 4 Lesson Humility Humility and Meekness of Spirit It is one of Gods designs in affliction to hide pride from man Iob 33.17 to spread sackcloth upon all his glory that so man may see no excellency in all the creature wherein to pride himself God led Israel forty years in the wilderness to humble them By the thorns of the wilderness God prickt the bladder of pride and let out the windyness of self-opinion that was in their hearts Prosperity usually makes men surly and supercilious towards their poor brethren Pro. 18 23 The rich answers roughly Even while the poor useth entreaties maketh his addresses to him with all humility and observance he holds up his head or turns his back upon him with scorn and contempt and thinks himself too good to give his poor neighbor a soft and peaceable answer Ioquuntur lapides they speak hard things these rough-cast Nabals Riches make men proud but poverty humbleth the heart a man cannot tell how to speak to them Pride is an humor which naturally runs in our veins and it is nourish'd by ease and prosperity And therefore to tame this pride of spirit that is in man God takes him into the house of Correction puts his feet in the stocks and there teacheth him to know himself He humbled thee Deut. 8.3 and suffered thee to hunger Hunger brought down Israels stomack did eat out that proud flesh which began to rankle Hence it is that if you take the children of God either yet in or newly come out of the furnace of affliction you shall observe them to be the tamest meekest creatures upon the earth as it is said of the new Convert Isa 11.6 A little child may lead them whereas before it may be they were so stiff and high in the instep that an angel of God could not tell how to deal with them now the meanest of Gods ministers or servants may reprove and counsel c. a little child may lead them That David whom Sin made so fierce that he put his poor Ammonitish prisoners and captives to death in cold bloud 2 Sam. 12 31 yea tormented them to death with sawes and harrows and axes of iron and burnt them alive in fiery brick-kils Him did banishment and persecution make so tame that not only the righteous might reprove him but even the wicked might reproach him Psa 141 5 and he holds his peace or if he speak they be words of patience and submission 2 Sam. 16.10 So let him curse because the Lord hath said curse David A man by trouble comes to know his own heart which in prosperity he was a stranger to seeth the weakness of his grace and the strength of his corruption how nothing is weak but grace nothing strong but sin and this lays him in the dust Oh wretch that I am And truly when a man hath learned this lesson he is not far from deliverance Seek the Lord all ye meek of the earth Zeph. 2.3 seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger This is Gods design first to meeken his people by affliction and then to save them from affliction Psa 149.4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifis the meek with salvation Fifthly 5 Lesson Dâ—scovery of corruption Dent 8.2 God by affliction discovers unknown corruption in the hearts of his people He led thee through the Wilderness these forty yeers to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thy heart i. e. to make thee know what was in thy heart what pride what impatience what unbelief what idolatry what distrust of God what murmur what unthankfulness was in thy heart thou never tookest notice of it I tell you Christians sin lieth very close and deep and is not easily discerned till the fire of affliction comes and makes a separation of the precious from the vile The furnace discovers the dross which lay hid before Ier. 9 7 What shall I do saith God for the daughter of my people they are exceeding bad and they know it not what shall I do with them I will melt them and try them into the furnace they shall and there I will discover themselves to themselves and shew them what is in their hearts In the furnace we see more corruption and more of corruption then ever appeared or was suspected On saith the poor soul whom God hath taught in the School of affliction I never thought my heart so bad as now I see it is I could not have believed the world had had so much interest in my heart and Christ so little I did not think my faith had been so weak and my fears so strong I finde that faith weak in danger which I had thought had been strong out of danger little did I think the sight of death would have been so terrible parting with nearest friends and dearest relations so piercing Oh how unskilful and unwise am I to manage a suffering condition to discern Gods ends to finde out what God would have me to do to moderate the violences of mine own passions to apply the counsels and comforts of the Word for their proper ends and uses Oh where is my patience my love my zeal my rejoycing in tribulation Ah did I ever think to finde my heart so discomposed my affections so out of command my graces so to seek when I should
fall into divers temptations what a deal of self-self-love pride distrust in God Creature-confidence discontent murmur rising of heart against the holy and righ teous dispensations of God is there boyling and fretting within me Wo is me what an heart have I And besides all this in the hour of temptation God brings old sins to remembrance We are verily guilty concerning our brother could Iosephs brethren say Gen. 42.21 twenty yeers after they had sold him for a slave when they were in danger to be questioned for their lives as they feared and thus when the Israelites cry to God in their sore distress for rescue and deliverance God puts them in minde of their old Apostacies Ye have forsaken me and served other gods c. Judg. 10.13 14 go and cry to the gods whom ye have chosen Suffering times are times of bringing sin to minde i Kin. 8.47 If they bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives Heb. If they bring back to heart Captivity is a time of turning in upon our selves and bringing back to heart our doings which have not been good in Gods sight Thus David under the rod could call himself to account I thought on my ways Psa 119.19 and turned my feet c. This now is another lesson which God teacheth by affliction and it is of great use to humble us and to empty and out us of our selves to make us fly to Jesus Christ for righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 In a word God lets us see what is crooked that we may streighten it what is weak that we may strengthen it what is wanting that we may supply it what is lame that it may not be turned out of the way but that it may rather be healed Sixthly 6 Lesson Prayer In the School of affliction God doth teach us to pray They that never prayed before will pray in affliction Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble they have visited Thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening is upon them They that kept their distance with God before yea that said to the Almighty depart from us in their affliction can bestow a visit upon God in trouble they have visited thee and they that never prayed before or at least did but now and then drop out a sleepy sluggish wish can now pour iout a prayer when chastisement is upon their loins a Psa 107.11 Râ—bells b 17 Fools c 23 Mariners even the worst of men can cry to God in their trouble The very Heathen-mariners fall to their prayers in a storm and can awaken the sleepy Prophet to this duty Ionah 1.5 6 What meanest thou O sleeper arise and call upon thy God Hence we use to say He that cannot pray Qui nescit orare discat navigarâ— let him go to sea Thus I say affliction opens dumb lips and untyeth the strings of the tongue to call upon God But whom God teacheth in affliction they learn to pray in another manner more frequently more fervently First More frequently Gods people are vessels full of the spirit of prayer and affliction is a piercer whereby God draws it out For my love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto prayer Psal 109.4 David was always a praying man but now under persecution he did nothing else I give my self unto prayer as wicked men give themselves up to their wickedness so David gave himself up to prayer he made it his work Hence you may observe that most of all the Psalms are nothing else almost but the runnings out of Davids spirit in prayer under variety of afflictions and persecutions as his troubles were multiplied so his prayers did multiply The holy man was never in that condition wherein he could not pray c. Alas it is sad to consider that in our peace and tranquility we pray arbitrarily by fits and starts many times we suffer every trifle to come and justle out prayer but in affliction God keeps us upon our knees and as it were tyeth the sacrifice to the horns of the altar And as he teacheth us to pray more frequently so also to pray more fervently Even of Christ himself it is said Luk. 22.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intentius that being in an agony he prayed more earnestly more intensively he prayed till he sweat again yea till he sweat great drops of bloud he sweltred out his soul through his body in prayer the reason whereof was because he had not only the pangs of death but the sense of his fathers wrath to conflict withall and so it is with believers many times outward afflictions are accompanied with inward disertions So it was with David Psal 22. and Psal 116.3 4 c. And then he gathers up all his strength to prayer and like a true son of Iacob wrestleth with God and will not let him go till he gets the blessing Psalm 143. vers 6 7. c. Truly Christians those prayers wherewith you contented your selves in the day of your peace and prosperity will not serve your turn in the hour of temptation then you will call to mind your short slight cold dead sleepy formal devotions in your families and closets and be ashamed of them Then you will see need of praying over all your prayers again and stir up your selves to take hold upon God Isa 64.7 Indeed for this very end God sends his people into captivity that he may draw out the spirit of prayer which they have suffered to ly dead within them Oh my dove that are in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the stairs Cant. 2. let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comly Christs dove never looks more beautiful in his eies then when her cheeks are bedewed with tears nor ever makes sweeter musick in his ears then when she mourns to him out of the rock and from under the stairs in a dark and desolate condition then saith Christ thy countenance is comly and sweet is thy voice Seventhly 7 Lesson Acquaintance with â—he word By correction God brings the Children of promise into more acquaintance with the Word He teacheth them out of his Law As here It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes God sent David into the School of affliction there to learn the Statutes of God By Correction the people of God learn 1. To converse with the Word of God more abundantly 2. To understand it more clearly 3. To relish it more sweetly First By affliction they come to converse with it more abundantly It is their duty a all time to study the Word Colos 3.16 To let it dwell richly in them in all wisdom Iob esteemed the words of Gods mouth more then his necessary food And it is their happiness as well as their duty Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel